3. Stylistic Phonetics. Stylistic lexicology. Stylistic Grammar.

Stylistics is subdivided into separate branches, treating one level each. According to the language units, stylistics is divided into:

Stylistic Phonetics (Phonostylistics)

Stylistic lexicology

Stylistic Morphology

Stylistic Syntax.

Stylistic lexicology studies the stylistic functions of the lexis and the interrelation of the direct and figurative meanings of the word, interaction between its denotative and connotative meaning. SL (stylistic lexicology) has to do with lexical Sds (stylistic devices) and Ems (Expressive means)

Stylistic grammar is divided into stylistic morphology and stylistic syntax.

Stylistic morphology - is interested in the stylistic potentials of specific grammatical forms and categories, such as gender, the number of the noun, or the peculiar use of tense forms of the verb, the use of articles etc. Stylistic morphology also deals with stylistic potential of the parts of speech

Stylistic syntax – is one of the oldest branches of stylistic studies that grew out of classical rhetoric. Stylistic syntax has to do with the expressive properties of word order, types of syntactic links (asyndeton, polysyndeton), figures of speech, i.e. special syntactic constructions used in literature to produce an effect on the reader.

Phonostylistics is engaged in the study of style-forming phonetic features of the text, which include alliteration (the repetition of consonants), assonance (the repetition of vowels) onomatopoeia, etc.

4. The main features of belles-lettres style and its function.

One of the rather widely accepted classifications of functional styles is that of Prof. I. R. Galperin who suggests 5 styles for the English language.

1) belles-lettres style: embracing numerous and versatile genres of imaginative writing such as poetry, emotive prose, and drama;

2) publicist style: covering such genres as oratory and speeches, essay, feature article, public

speeches, etc.

3) newspaper style: brief news items, headlines, advertisements, editorial;

4) scientific prose style, found in articles, brochures, monographs, and other scientific and academic publications

5) official documents style, represented in all kinds of official documents and papers

Belles-lettres style (or the style of imaginative literature) embraces numerous genres of imaginative writing. It may be called the richest register of communication. Besides its own language means which are not used in any other spheres of communication, belles-lettres style makes ample use of other styles too. In numerous works of literary art we find elements of scientific, official and other functional types of speech. Besides informative and persuasive functions, also found in other functional styles, the function of belles-lettres style is to impress the reader aesthetically.

The form becomes meaningful and carries additional information. Boundless possibilities of expressing one’s thoughts and feelings make the belles-lettres style a highly attractive field of research for a linguist. The purpose (the cognitive function) is not to prove but only to suggest a possible interpretation of the phenomena of life by forcing the reader to see the viewpoint of the writer.

Features of belles-lettres style:

a) use of words in contextual and very often in more than one dictionary meaning, or at least greatly influenced by the lexical environment.

b) a vocabulary which will reflect to a greater or lesser degree the author's personal evaluation of things or phenomena;

c) a peculiar individual selection of vocabulary and syntax, a kind of lexical and syntactical idiosyncrasy (peculiarity);

d) the introduction of the typical features of colloquial language to a full degree (in plays) or a lesser one (in emotive prose) or a slight degree, if any (in poems)

e) individual, distinctive properties, aesthetic-cognitive effect.

Speaking of belles-lettres style most scholars almost automatically refer to it prose works, regarding poetry the domain of a special poetic style. Viewed diachronically this opinion does not seem controversial, for poems of previous centuries, indeed, adhered to a very specific vocabulary and its ordering. But poetry of the twentieth century does not show much difference from prose vocabulary, its subjects are no more limited to several specific "poetic" fields but widely cover practically all spheres of existence of contemporary man. So it is hardly relevant to speak of a separate poetic style in reference to contemporary literature